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Watler Cemetery

Prospect Point, Italy

Watler Cemetery

The Watler Cemetery is a historic cemetery located in Prospect, Grand Cayman. It was donated to the National Trust for the Cayman Islands by the Watler family in 1991. Although the graves in the cemetery date from the beginning of the 19th century, the site was in use before that time, as Watlers ha

ve lived in the Cayman Islands since the 17th century and are among the original settlers of Cayman. It is thought that the name is derived from the fact that watlers in Wales were craftsmen who specialized in the construction of wattles, a form of thatched roofing. Watler Cemetery is notable for the number of traditionally Welsh constructed graves which still stand today. Shaped like houses, the memorials are constructed from a combination of crushed coral and limestone daub. Similar markers dating to the Middle Ages, have been found in both England and Wales, and markers in this style dating to the 17th century may be seen across the British West Indies. Boulders are heavy enough that only the most violent storms can dislodge them. Some graves may have had a mahogany tablet set into one wall, but this fact is disputed. More modern stones may cover numerous burials, but these structures...

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